| appellative |
a descriptive name or title, as "Terrible" in "Ivan the Terrible". |
| ascertain |
to learn without question; determine. |
| asceticism |
self-discipline and self-denial as a means of spiritual improvement. |
| bilge |
the rounded part of a ship's hull between the bottom and the sides. |
| coddle |
to simmer in water that is almost at the boiling point. |
| constrict |
to pull or squeeze in; make smaller or more narrow; tighten. |
| facsimile |
an exact copy or duplicate of something printed or of a picture. |
| imbricate |
overlapping in an even sequence, as roof tiles or fish scales. |
| pelf |
money or wealth, usually regarded with disapproval or contempt. |
| rodomontade |
puffed-up boasting or bravado. |
| sententious |
using or marked by pompous, high-flown moralizing. |
| shyster |
a person, usually a lawyer, who uses underhanded, unethical methods. |
| splenetic |
ill-tempered or spiteful. |
| stipple |
a method of painting, drawing, or engraving by applying small points, dots, or dabs to a surface. |
| tamp |
to compress and pack tightly by repeated light taps. |